Sacramento County
Biographies
FRANKLIN H. SARGENT
The
possibilities connected with the development of a tract of fruit land brought
Mr. Sargent to Fair Oaks
during the year 1901. It was not, however, until some years later that he was
able to establish a permanent home on the land he had then purchased. Meanwhile
the trees on the tract were being cared for carefully and scientifically, the
land was kept under cultivation and every facility afforded for the
satisfactory growth of the fruit until the bud had developed into the ripened
product ready for the market or the table. On the tract that he purchased in
1901 a home had been partly constructed and some trees had been planted. With
personal energy he finished the work of tree-planting and house-building and
started the improvements that now make the place one of the most valuable in
the district.
Franklin
H. Sargent was born April 10, 1851, at Searsport,
Me., where he was educated in the public schools, and he
then worked his way through the Castine (Me.)
Normal school and Scofield's Commercial
College in Providence,
R. I., where he was graduated. Having followed the trades of brick and stone
mason and plasterer in his eastern home, Mr. Sargent
resumed employment at these occupations upon coming West,
as, until his tract came into bearing, he could not secure a livelihood from
its cultivation. San Francisco
offered a fine field for his trades and accordingly he went to that city,
secured work first as a mason and plasterer, but later as a contractor and
builder. For seven years he continued in San Francisco and
Berkeley, and meanwhile he
established an enviable reputation for skilled workmanship. During the entire
period of his residence in the western metropolis he had kept in touch with his
Fair Oaks tract and had seen that the trees received due attention as needed.
Finally, in 1909 returning to Sacramento
county, he took up work at his trade here and at the
same time personally cultivated the little farm. Of the ten acres, five are in
peach trees of the Phillips cling variety, which bore a valuable and large crop
for the season of 1911; the balance is in oranges, olives and almonds.
Gratifying as has been the work of the past, the promise for the future is
greater, and the owner has every reason to feel proud of his attractive home
place.
The
residence which Mr. Sargent has improved and enlarged
forms a valuable accession to the fine country homes of the county. Provided
with an abundant supply of hot and cold water, equipped with excellent lavatory
accommodations, and lighted by electricity, its improvements are thoroughly
up-to-date and its conveniences are conducive to the comfort of the occupants.
Mrs. Sargent, who became the wife of this progressive
horticulturist at Fair Oaks in 1902, is a woman of culture and refinement, a
native of Jamestown, N. Y., where
she was the recipient of collegiate advantages. By his former marriage, Mr. Sargent has a son, H. P., who resides at Fair Oaks and is
serving as deputy county clerk of Sacramento county; by his marriage to Adella
B. Buckley, a native of Fair Oaks, he has one son,
Franklin Buckley Sargent, who is a prime favorite
with the paternal grandfather.
In
politics Mr. Sargent has voted the Republican ticket
ever since he became a voter and, while always refusing official honors, he has
not failed to support friends who are candidates, giving freely of his time and
influence to promote their cause. While still a resident of Maine
he was initiated into the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and served through
the chairs of the local lodge, in which he rose to be past grand. In addition
he was connected with the Encampment and served in its offices including that
of chief patriarch. The Knights of Pythias also had
the benefit of his intelligent identification for many years and the local
lodge chose him to serve in various important capacities, including that of
Chancellor Commander.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 856-857. Historic
Record Company, Los
Angeles,
CA. 1913.
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.